Salvia plant named ‘Dosaskimi’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Salvia  plant named ‘Dosaskimi’, characterized by its compact and upright plant habit; vigorous growth habit; freely branching habit; early and freely flowering habit; upright inflorescences with violet blue-colored flowers; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Salvia nemorosa.

Cultivar denomination: ‘DOSASKIMI’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Salvia plant, botanically known as Salvia nemorosa and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Dosaskimi’.

The new Salvia plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Aalsmeer, The Netherlands. The objective of the breeding program is to create new compact Salvia plants with numerous attractive flowers.

The new Salvia plant originated from a cross-pollination in June, 2013 of a proprietary selection of Salvia nemorosa identified as code number SV-0007, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of Salvia nemorosa identified as code number SV-0017, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Salvia plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant from within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled environment in Aalsmeer, The Netherlands in June, 2014.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by vegetative terminal cuttings in Aalsmeer, The Netherlands, since July, 2014 has shown that the unique features of this new Salvia plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Salvia have not been observed under all possible combinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Dosaskimi’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Dosaskimi’ as a new and distinct Salvia plant:

-   -   1. Compact and upright plant habit.     -   2. Vigorous growth habit.     -   3. Freely branching habit.     -   4. Early and freely flowering habit.     -   5. Upright inflorescences with violet blue-colored flowers.     -   6. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Salvia can be compared to plants of the female parent selection. Plants of the new Salvia differ primarily from plants of the female parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Salvia are more compact than plants of the         female parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Salvia are more upright than and not as         outwardly spreading as plants of the female parent selection.

Plants of the new Salvia can be compared to plants of the male parent selection. Plants of the new Salvia differ primarily from plants of the male parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Salvia are more compact than plants of the         male parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Salvia and the male parent selection differ         in flower color as plants of the new Salvia have violet         blue-colored flowers whereas plants of the male parent selection         have pink-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Salvia can be compared to plants of Salvia nemorosa ‘May Night’, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Salvia differ from plants of ‘May Night’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Salvia are more compact than plants of ‘May         Night’.     -   2. Plants of the new Salvia are more upright than and not as         outwardly spreading as plants of ‘May Night’.     -   3. Plants of the new Salvia are more freely branching than         plants of ‘May Night’.     -   4. Plants of the new Salvia have smaller and darker         green-colored leaves than plants of ‘May Night’.     -   5. Plants of the new Salvia have shorter inflorescences than         plants of ‘May Night’.     -   6. Plants of the new Salvia are more freely flowering than         plants of ‘May Night’.     -   7. Plants of the new Salvia have smaller flowers than plants of         ‘May Night’.     -   8. Plants of the new Salvia have shorter peduncles than plants         of ‘May Night’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearance of the new Salvia plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the actual colors of the new Salvia plant. The photograph is a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Dosaskimi’ grown in a container.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photograph and following observations, measurements and values describe plants grown during the spring and early summer in 13-cm containers in an outdoor nursery in Aalsmeer, The Netherlands and under cultural practices typical of commercial Salvia production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures averaged 20° C. and night temperatures averaged 16° C. Plants were pinched one time and were three months old when the photograph was taken and 14 weeks old when the description was taken. In the detailed description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Salvia nemorosa ‘Dosaskimi’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of Salvia             nemorosa identified as code number SV-0007, not patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of Salvia             nemorosa identified as code number SV-0017, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By vegetative terminal cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About ten days at             temperatures about 26° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About two weeks at             temperatures about 23° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About twelve             days at temperatures about 23° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About 16 days             at temperatures about 18° C.         -   Root description.—Medium in thickness, fibrous; typically             white to light yellow in color, actual color of the roots is             dependent on substrate composition, water quality,             fertilizer type and formulation, substrate temperature and             physiological age of roots.         -   Rooting habit.—Moderately freely branching; dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Herbaceous perennial typically grown             as a container and garden plant; upright plant habit;             uniform and vigorous growth habit; rapid growth rate.         -   Branching habit.—Freely basal branching with about eight             primary lateral branches developing per plant.         -   Plant height.—Compact, about 20 cm.         -   Plant width.—About 15 cm.         -   Lateral branch description.—Length: About 20 cm. Internode             length: About 4 cm. Strength: Strong. Aspect: Mostly             upright. Texture: Pubescent. Color: Close to 138B; random             spots, close to 187A. -   Leaf description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite, simple.         -   Length.—About 6 cm.         -   Width.—About 2.5 cm.         -   Shape.—Elliptical.         -   Apex.—Acute.         -   Base.—Cordate.         -   Margin.—Crenate, fine pubescence along edge.         -   Texture, upper surface.—Rugose, glabrous.         -   Texture, lower surface.—Pubescent.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate, reticulate.         -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 139A.             Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 137B. Fully             expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to 139A; venation,             close to 148C. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close             to 137C; venation, close to 148C.         -   Petioles.—Length: About 2.5 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent. Color, upper             surface: Close to 139C. Color, lower surface: Close to 138C. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower arrangement and shape.—Single bilabiate flowers             arranged on erect spikes; freely flowering habit with about             60 flowers developing per inflorescence and about 1,400             flowers developing per plant during the flowering season;             flowers face mostly outwardly.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Natural flowering season.—Early flowering habit, plants             begin flowering about six weeks after planting; plants             flower during June and July in an outdoor environment in The             Netherlands; flowers not persistent.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 4 mm to 5 mm. Diameter: About             2 mm. Shape: Conical. Color: Close to 93A.         -   Inflorescence height.—About 6.5 cm.         -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 2 cm.         -   Flower diameter.—About 4 mm.         -   Flower height.—About 1 cm.         -   Flower throat diameter.—About 2 mm.         -   Flower tube length.—About 5 mm.         -   Flower tube diameter, proximally.—About 2 mm.         -   Petals.—Arrangement: Five petals fused at the base; one             upper banner petal (upper lip), two lateral petals and two             lower petals (lower lip). Lobe length: About 5 mm. Lobe             width: About 1 mm. Shape: Round. Apex: Round. Base: Fused             into a narrow tube. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper surface:             Smooth, glabrous. Texture, lower surface: Pubescent.             Texture, throat: Smooth, glabrous. Texture, tube: Smooth,             glabrous. Color: When opening, upper and lower surfaces:             Close to 93B. Fully opened, upper and lower surfaces: Close             to 93B; venation, close to 93B; color does not change with             development. Throat: Close to 92D; venation, close to 92D.             Tube: Close to 92D; venation, close to 92D.         -   Calyx.—Arrangement: Five sepals fused to form a campanulate             calyx. Length: About 5 mm. Width: About 2 mm. Shape:             Deltoid. Apex: Acuminate. Margin: Entire; ciliate. Texture,             inner and outer surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color, inner             surface: Close to 79A. Color, outer surface: Close to 146D.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 13 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm.             Strength: Strong. Aspect: About 20° from vertical. Texture:             Pubescent. Color: Close to 138B; random sectors and spots,             close to 187A.         -   Pedicels.—Length: About 2 mm. Diameter: About 0.5 mm.             Strength: Flexible. Aspect: About 20° from vertical.             Texture: Pubescent. Color: Close to 59B.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: Two.             Filament length: About 2 mm. Filament color: Close to 92A.             Anther shape: Oblique. Anther length: About 0.5 mm. Anther             color: Close to 164B. Pollen amount: None observed. Pistils:             Quantity per flower: One. Pistil length: About 1 cm. Stigma             shape: Bi-parted. Stigma color: Close to 93A. Style length:             About 8 mm. Style color: Close to 92A. Ovary color: Close to             145B.         -   Seeds and fruits.—To date, seed and fruit production has not             been observed on plants of the new Salvia. -   Pathogen & pest resistance: To date, plants of the new Salvia have     not been noted to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to     Salvia plants. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Salvia have exhibited good     garden performance and to be tolerant to rain, wind and temperatures     ranging from about −20° C. to about 30° C. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Salvia plant named ‘Dosaskimi’ as illustrated and described. 